U.S. Town Where It’s Illegal to Eat Fried Chicken With a Fork
In Gainesville, Georgia, fried chicken is a matter of identity. In 1961, the town passed a law that made it illegal to eat fried chicken with a fork. You can imagine how serious it was that an actual ordinance was created. While it might seem like a throwaway prank or urban legend, the law still exists, and Gainesville locals talk about it.
The idea came during a publicity push to promote Gainesville as the “Poultry Capital of the World.” By that point, the city had built a name around its chicken production. Processing plants were the backbone of the local economy, and chicken farming had become a way of life. So city leaders thought: what better way to grab headlines than to legally protect finger-lickin’ tradition?
The law, drafted as a local ordinance, didn’t land in the Official Code of Georgia. That’s because it wasn’t passed on the state level. It stayed in Gainesville’s hands. But even without being written into state law, it was real enough to make national news.
Gainesville’s Chicken Obsession
Image via Unsplash/Brooke Cagle
Gainesville earned its poultry crown after decades of work in the industry. In the years leading up to World War II, local growers farmed multiple crops and livestock. That changed thanks to Jesse Jewell, a poultry pioneer who devised a system of contract growing. By the mid-20th century, Gainesville had grown into a chicken production giant.
The industry brought jobs, money, and a shared purpose. By the 1960s, Gainesville was producing millions of pounds of chicken each year, and the city leaned hard into its poultry fame. That’s where the fried chicken law came in. It was a clever bit of branding.
Instead of taking itself too seriously, the town embraced its identity through humor. The ordinance celebrated chicken, winked at tradition, and boosted civic pride. Still, it was a law, and breaking it required consequences.
Yes, Someone Was Actually “Arrested”
Despite its silly premise, the fried chicken law did lead to an arrest. In 2009, a 91-year-old woman named Ginny Dietrick was “caught” eating fried chicken with a fork while visiting Gainesville. Her friends tipped off the police, and officers arrived at the table to inform her that she had broken a local law.
Chief Frank Hooper made the tongue-in-cheek arrest, and Mayor Myrtle Figueras later issued an official pardon. Ginny laughed it off and earned the honorary title of “Poultry Princess.”
Before her, another famous figure ran afoul of the rule. In 1977, Colonel Sanders—yes, that Colonel—visited Gainesville and was ceremonially “charged” for using utensils with his fried chicken. He, too, was asked to comply with the town’s preferred dining method of hands only.
These lighthearted incidents helped keep the tradition alive. They reinforced Gainesville’s chicken pride and reminded everyone that fried chicken in this town comes with its own set of rules.
Chicken Runs Deep in Gainesville
Chicken isn’t just a business in Gainesville. It shows up in the city’s culture and public spaces. A large monument topped with a chicken greets visitors, and poultry-themed events dot the calendar. The most notable is the annual Spring Chicken Festival. It’s held downtown and features cook-offs, wing-eating contests, and plenty of local food vendors.
Even during the holidays, the city sticks to the theme. A large illuminated chicken replaces the traditional Christmas tree. Generations of residents have worked in chicken plants or built businesses around poultry. It’s the city’s main economic engine and a point of local pride.
The 1961 ordinance remains in place even though nobody’s handing out tickets, and the police don’t patrol diners. Gainesville officials seem happy to keep it alive as a piece of local flavor. Visitors often hear about it from locals or spot the story online and stop by for a photo and maybe a meal served the Gainesville way. As long as people are still talking about it, it’s doing its job.
Other Food Laws That Don’t Make Sense (Or Do)
Gainesville isn’t alone in passing strange laws about food. Across the U.S., you’ll find rules that raise eyebrows. In Indiana, Beech Grove once banned eating watermelon in parks because of trash issues. And in multiple states, a long-forgotten rule made it illegal to put ice cream in your back pocket. That one had a practical origin at least; horse thieves once used it to lure animals away without touching them.
One Rule, One Message
At the center of Gainesville’s fried chicken law is a call to embrace what makes your town special. The ordinance may be outdated, but it’s about the community’s identity. Gainesville used humor to put itself on the map and celebrate its biggest industry. Decades later, the law still sparks conversation.